1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field folding knives. More specifically the present invention comprises a folding knife with a mechanism for assisting the articulation of the blade in and out of the pocket.
2. Description of the Related Art
Retractable knives, those knives that have blades that retract into the liner of the particular knife, come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Retractable knives fall into one of two broad categories. Some knives feature a blade which is retracted into and extended from its liner in a straight fashion. These knives are often referred to as stilettos. Stilettos utilize a spring to eject the blade from the liner when a button is pressed. Most jurisdictions prohibit the sale and possession of these types of knives.
A second type of retractable knife is the folding variety. These types of knives are commonly referred to as folding knives or pocket knives. Folding knives have blade which is pivotally connected to its liner at one end. The blade pivots between an unfolded position where the blade is extended out from the liner and a folded position where the blade rests within the pocket of the liner. Many folding knives are manual in that folding and unfolding of the blade is performed entirely by the user. Other folding knives are spring assisted where a spring assists in unfolding of the blade from the liner.
Spring assisted folding knives also come in different varieties. In one variety, the blade is held under a constant spring force while the blade is in the folded position within the pocket of the liner. The blade is held in place by some form of lock, typically some form of button. When the lock is released, the blade rapidly flips to the extended position by the action of the spring. Such knives, commonly called switchblades, are also illegal to sell and possess in many jurisdictions.
Another type of spring assisted folding knives utilizes a spring to assist in the unfolding operation after the user begins the unfolding process manually. The spring starts to assist the user once the user has partially unfolded the blade from the liner. The combined forces of the user and the spring work to fully unfold the blade into the open position.
While many different types of spring-assisted unfolding mechanisms are known, much less attention has been given to features which assist in the blade folding process. In addition, less attention has been given to features which keep the blade in the folded position. Such a feature requires some active force in order to fully fold the blade into its pocket in order to prevent the blade from accidentally unfolding in the user's pocket or onto the user's fingers.
It is therefore desirable to provide a spring-assisted folding mechanism that will assist the user in articulating the blade in and out of the pocket. It would also be desirable to provide a spring-assisted folding mechanism that helps retain the blade in the pocket. By helping keep the blade in the fully folded position, such systems help prevent the accidental partial unfolding of the blade and the attendant possibility for injury that can result from a blade being unexpectedly unfolded from its liner.